accolade

noun

ac·​co·​lade ˈa-kə-ˌlād 

-ˌläd

1

a

: a mark of acknowledgment : award

received the highest accolade of his profession

b

: an expression of praise

a movie that has drawn accolades from both fans and critics

2

a

: a ceremonial embrace

b

: a ceremony or salute conferring knighthood

3

music : a brace or a line used in music to join two or more staffs carrying simultaneous parts

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What is the origin of accolade?

Give credit where credit is due: it's time to celebrate accolade for its centuries of laudatory service. Accolade joined English in the 16th century from the Middle French noun acolade, which in turn comes from the verb accoler, meaning "to embrace." When it was first borrowed from French, accolade referred to a ceremonial embrace that formally conferred knighthood. The term was later extended to other ceremonial acts conferring knighthood (such as the familiar touching of the shoulders with the flat part of a sword's blade), and then to other ceremonies marking the recognition of a special merit, distinction, or achievement. Today it refers more broadly to an award or expression of praise.

Synonyms of accolade

• tribute
• commendation
• award
• citation

Examples of accolade in a Sentence

There is no higher accolade at this school than an honorary degree.

for their exceptional bravery the firefighters received accolades from both local and national officials

Recent Examples on the Web

The James Beard Awards, among the highest accolades in the American culinary industry, were announced Monday night, turning winning restaurants into must-visit destinations. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 June 2026

His numerous accolades include 11 Primetime Emmys and five Directors Guild of America awards. —Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 19 June 2026

Their designs hold prestigious international accolades, including the German IGR Ergonomic Certification and various international design awards. —New Atlas, 19 June 2026

The premise of the play centers on Anna Campbell (Woodard), a trailblazing actress decorated with accolades but in a financially precarious situation. —Dominique Fluker, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French acolade, accolade "embrace," from acoler "to embrace" (going back to Old French, from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs—going back to Latin ad- ad-— + col "neck," going back to Latin collum) + -ade -ade — more at collar entry 1

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for accolade

• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed
• escapade

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Kids Definition

accolade

noun

ac·​co·​lade ˈak-ə-ˌlād 

1

: a formal salute (as a tap on the shoulder with the blade of a sword) that marks the conferring of knighthood

2

: a mark of recognition of merit : praise